327 

98 

„^ 1 jama Centennial Commission 

py 1 • 



How Alabama Became a State 

Third of a Series of Children's Plays 

in Commemoration of the Close of 

a Century of Statehood 



By Marie Bankhead Owen 



Issued by the 
Alabama Centennial Commission 



Montgomery, Alabamja 

The Paragon Press 

1919 



Alabama Centennial Commission 



How Alabama Became a State 

Third of a Series of Children's Plays 

in Commemoration of the Close of 

a Century of Statehood 



By Marie Bankhead Owen 



Issued by the 
Alabama Centennial Commission 



Montgomery, Alabama 

The Paragon Press 

1919 



F3^T 



Alabama Centennial Commission 

Created by act of the Legislature, February 17, 1919. 
Headquarters : Montgomery 

His Excellency, Thomas E. Kilby, Governor, 
ex-officio, Chairman 

Dr. Thomas M. Owen, Director, Department 
of Archives and History, ex-officio. Sec- 
retary and Historian. 

Fitzhugh Lee, State Auditor, ex-officio 

Spright Dowell, Superintendent of Education, 
ex-officio 

Dr. Thomas C. McCorvey, University, Ala. 

Dr. George Petrie, Auburn, Ala. 

Mrs. Bibb Graves, Montgomery, Ala. 

David Holt, Newspaper Publicity Director, 
Montgomery. 



The Commission, created by enactment of the Legis- 
lature, has for its activities the encouragement of gen- 
eral interest in the history of the State, the general ob- 
servance of the 100th anniversary of Statehood, the 
marking of historic spots, and the publication of local 
and other historical materials. Wide organized pub- 
licity has been given its plans. The most general co- 
operation has been promised. Correspondence invited. 

Address Dr. Thomas M. Owen, Director of the Cen- 
tenary, State Capitol, Montgomery, 



y-jCoi^^ghl^, 1919. 



How Alabama Became A State 

A one act play for children. 

Time: December, 1819. 

Place: Huntsville, the temporary capital. 

Theme: Settling a new country. 

Scene: An upper room in the Tavern. 

Occasion: The centenary of Alabama Statehood. 

CHARACTERS CONCERNED. 

Mr. and Mrs. Monroe from Virginia. 

Mary, their daughter. 

John, from Tennessee. 

Sam, from Kentucky. 

Francis, from South Carolina. 

Paul, from France. 

San Miguel, from Spain and Florida. 

Lincoyer, a Creek Indian boy. 

Sarah, from Georgia. 

Bonnie, from North Carolina. 

Cherokee Rose, a Cherokee Indian Girl. 

Lucy, a Negro Mammy. 

A News Crier. 

"General LaFayette," a dog. 



4 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

Costumes 

Mr. Monroe wears a Prince Albert coat or one fash- 
ioned much hke the modern evening dress coat, with 
long trousers. His collar is a fold of soft white ma- 
terial, with a jabot of lace. There is lace at the wrists,. 
He may wear a fancy vest. His hat is of the tall, 
"stove-pipe" style. He carries a cane and gloves. 

Mrs. Monroe is dressed in black silk, full skirt, tight 
waist, full, flowing sleeves with lace ruffles at throat 
and wrists. Her hat is small and has flowers and rib- 
bons for trimmings. She may wear black gloves and 
carry a heavy shawl of the Paisley pattern upon her 
arm. 

The girls may be dressed in any color of frocks, 
with full skirts, tight waists and elbow sleeves. They 
are without hats or wraps. 

The boys wear jacket coats and knee pants, and they 
wear ruffles at wrists with stock collars like the men 
of the time if the director desires. 

Mammy Lucy wears a dark blue dress, a big white 
apron and her head is turbaned with a red bandanna 
handkerchief. She must be blacked to represent a real 
negro slave woman. 

Loncoyer wears Indian clothes, long pants with fringe 
down the outer seam and a jacket with fringe on the 
seam of the sleeve. He may wear a fur cap or feathers 
in his hair. 

Cherokee is dressed in bright calico, red preferred, 
and wears many beads. She has her hair parted in 
the middle, and plaited in two braids which are drawn 
forward over the shoulders. She has large gold ear- 
rings in her ears. 



How Alabama Became A State 
The Play 

Scene. A room in the tavern. There is a door at right, 
and a clothes-closet door at left. At back is a win- 
dow, hung with a heavy curtain. In one corner of 
the room is a fireplace^ and on the hearth a bright 
fire burns, which effect may be produced by plac- 
ing a lighted lantern behind red paper. There is a 
small table to one side, and a few plain chairs about. 
At rise of curtain Mammy is kneeling on the floor 
rolling up her pallet bed. Mary, her *'lil'le Miss" is 
seated by the fire, sobbing and weeping bitterly. 

Mammy. (Persuasively.) Oh, lil'le honey, don't you 
cry no mo'. You're Ma gwynter come back frum 
der Big Day and tell you all 'bout whut she seen. 

Mary. {Between sobs and tears.) But I wanted to 
go see it myself. Governor Bibb is going to be 
in-augu-ra-ted. (A series of sobs.) They're go- 
ing to make a State. I wanted to see how they 
make a State and EVERYTHING! (Weeps 
aloud.) 

Mammy. Jes' let me git through rollin' up my pallet, 
now. and I'se gwyne ter tell you some tales. 

Mary. (Getting up and looking out of the window.) 
General Jackson is going to be there and I want to 
see him. He's going to sit in both houses of the 
legislature. 

Mammy. (Pretending amazement.) Whut kind uv er 
man is dat whut kin set in two houses at onst. 
Umph ! Show me dat man ! 

Mary. He's going to sit in one house a while (sobs) 
and then he will go and sit in the other house a 
while. 



6 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

Mammy. (Getting up from the floor and jjutting her 
bed roll in the closet.) Now aint dis er pretty pass, 
your ole Mammy asleepin' on er pallet and hidin' 
hit in er closet durin' uv de day? An' me done 
left my fedder bed back in ole Firginny. I'll haf 
ter ketch me some wile geeses and make me an 
udder fedder bed. 

Mary. Mammy, I don't like this old Alabama, 

Mammiy. {Her arms akimbo.) Whut in der name 
uv reason your Pa and your Ma want ter lef dey 
nice home in old Firginny and move ter dis wile 
Injun country is whut gits me. Whut fur dey done 
hit? Tell me dat lil'le Miss Mary-whut-aint-gwine- 
ter-cry-no-mo' " (Laughing.) Ain't dat er long 
name: "Lille Miss Mary-Whut-aint-gwine-ter- 
cry-no-mo'." (Caressing Mary's hair and trying to 
cheer her up.) 

Mary. (Snuggling againpt miam,my's shoulder.) I'm 
lonesome Mammy. I miss all my friends back 
home. 

Mammy. Wuz you de onliest pusson whut had friends 
dat hatter been lef? Answer me dat! 

Mary. But the rest of you are grown-up people. I 
miss the children so. 

Mammy. I aint never been no whuz yit but whut deh 
wuz some chilluns. I's done seen some right in dis 
tavern wid my own eyes, I is. 

Mary. What were their names? 

Mammy. Dont you rickerlick dat Paul in der Bible, 
whut der snake bit? Well he's got er name sake 
here, er Frencher. 

Mary. A little French boy? 

Mammy. Dats whut I said. An' he done cum ter dis 
country frum WAY-OVER-YANDER. 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 7 

Mary. And who else did you see'r 

Mammy. Jes lots er chilluns. Efen your Ma ^^arnt 
so skeered er you're gittin der whoopin' koff^ she'd 
let you outen dis room an' you coul' see em fur 
yourself. 

Mary, There isn't any whooping cough here, is there 
Mammy ? 

Mammy. I aint heered narry a whoop, lessen hit be 
from dat young Injun boy whuts done come herh 
'long wid Marse Gin'rl Jackson. 

Mary. {With eagerness.) Oh, Mammy, if Mama has 
forbidden me going out of this room she hasn't 
forbidden other childden coming in if they are 
well. So won't you PLEASE, Mammy, {hugging 
her) go out and invite some of the other LONE- 
COME children to come and play with me? 

Mammy. Will you promus me ter set by der firh and 
keep yoursef ez snug ez er bug in er rug whilst I's 
gone? 

Mary. Yes, Mammy. 

Mammy. {Handing her a rag doll from the table.) 
Alright den. You and der Queen uv Sheba kin 
hole down der house whilst I's gone chile huntin' ! 

{i^xit.) 

Mary. {Playing with her doll.) Are you lonely, too, 
little Queen of Sheba? You're the only one of my 
playmates I have left. But we mustn't cry, honey, 
because Papa says only brave people will be happy 
in this new country. Its not nice to be miserable 
is it? 

Re-enter Mammy^ leading Bonnie. 

Mammy. Now, Miss Mary, hearh am Miss Bonnie. She 
, brung her dolly wid her too. 

Mary. {Going forward to meet Bonnie and shaking 



8 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

her hand.) 1 am so glad to see you, Bonnie. {She 
takes the roll from Bonnie and Bonnie takes hers^ 
they admire each a moment^ then Mammy takes 
them and puts them on the table.) 

Mary. Are you lonesome, too? 

Bonnie. (With spirit.) No. I like Alabama. Papa 
says he can buy a plantation here for the money 
he sold his small farm for back in North Carolina. 
We came in a wagon that had a big white top on 
it and was hauled by oxen. How did you come? 

Mary. We came some of the way in a coach, some in 
a covered wagon, and some in a boat. The slaves 
walked and had such fun around the camp fires at 
night. Of course Mammy rode with the family. 

Mammy. Now, you lil'le gurls musify yoursefs and 
Mammy'U go fetch some mo' lonesome chilluns. 

Bonnie. There's a girl named Sarah in the next room 
to ours. Bring her, please, Mammy. 

Mammy. 'Deed I will. {Eixit.) 

Bonnie, I've wanted to talk to Sarah ever since she 
came, yesterday, but she has been out a great deal 
with her parents who have friends in Huntsville. 
Her father is in the legislature and they came to 
Alabama from Georgia. 

Mary. How did you find this out? 

Bonnie. Her Mammy told my Mammy. 
Re-enter Mammy. 

Mammy. {With glowing pride.) I done fotch Miss 
Sarah. 

Mary. Come in, Sarah. This is Bonnie. I am Mary. 
We are so glad to have you come to play with us. 
{They all shake hands.) 

Sarah. And I'm glad ta come. It is very tiresome 
*'*;aying in one's room so much, especially when 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 9 

used to riding a pony all day, and having pet lambs 
and a pet faun. 

Both girls. (Clapping their hands in ecstacy.) A faun! 
Pet lambs ! 

Mary, How did you get the faun? 

Sarah. We live near St. Stephens on the Tombigbee 
river and there is every kind of wild game in the 
woods and swamps thereabouts. Last year my fa- 
ther killed the mother of my faun by mistake and 
brought the dear little thing home to me for a pet. 
(There is knocking at the door.) 

Mary. Come in. 

Enter Francis and John. 

John. Is this the room where Mammy Lucy told us 
to come? 

Mary. Yes. 

John. I am John and this is Francis. 

Mary. I am Mary, and this is Bonnoe and Sarah. (All 
shake hands.) 

John. Its kind of hard on us youngsters being cooped 
up like this. I certainly am glad to be invited to 
meet some other children. 

Mary. Do you live far from here? 

John. My parents lived in Tennessee until last year, 
but now we have come to Alabama to make our 
home. 

Mary. My father has been a Virginia tobacco planter, 
but he is moving to Alabama to grow cotton. 

John. My father is a lawyer. We live in Tuskaloosa. 
He has come to Huntsville while the legislature is 
in session to help get some good laws passed, 

Mary. Did your mother come too? 

John. No. She does not like the hard travel and be- 
sides that she is afraid of Indians. 



10 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

Francis. My mother is not afraid of Indians. She says 
they dare not be bad any more now that Genera] 
Jackson has whipped them out. 

Sarah. My father says there is just one kind of good 
Indians. The dead ones. 

Mary. (With excitement.) Oh, how thrilling to hear 
you all talk about Indians. I'm not lonesome any 
more since you came. 

John, There are two other boys in, the tavern we might 
bring into this party if you girls don't mind. There 
is a little French chap named Paul, f rom Ma- 
rengo county and the other is a Spanish boy from 
Pensacola. 

Mary. Oh, do go get them, John. 

John. Come, Francis. I will go after Paul and you find 
San Miguel. (Exit John and Francis.) 

Mary^ Bonnie and Sarah. Isn't it fun! (They join 
hands and dance around in a circle — dog barks at 
the door.) 

Bonnie. Oh my ! There's my dog. He follows me 
everywhere. 

Mary. Do let him in. I expect he's lonesome too, and 
he can't play dolls for company. 

Sarah. He has more fun with a bone than we do with 
dolls. 

Bonnie. (Opening the door and letting in the dog.) 
Now General LaFayette, these ar e two VERY 
nice young ladies and you must behave yourself like 
a true French gentleman and patriot. Shake hands. 

Mary and Sarah. (They shake the dog's paw^ and if 
he is a trick dog his mistress may order him to 
speak or do whatever tricks he can perform.) 

Mary. Isn't he lovely ! Just as soon as we get into 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 11 

our new home Mama says I may have all the pets I 

want. 
Bonnie, There never was such a dog as "General La- 

Fayette." Strangers don't dare come about at 

night. 
Mary, And to think you have named him for that 

splendid French General who helped the Americans 

whip the British during the Revolution. 
Bonnie. My Grandfather was in Gen. LaFayette's 

army. That is why we so much respect the name. 
Sarah. My grandfather was in George Washington's 

army. He lived in Virginia then^ but later moved 

to Georgia. 
Mary. And my grandfather fought the British at the 

battle of King's Mountain. So we are all little 

Revolutioners. 
(The door is thrown open and John, Francis, Paul and 

San Miguel enter,) 
John. Well, here are the boys, Paul and San Miguel. 

You girls will have to introduce yourselves. 
{The girls come forfioard, tell their names and shake 

hands with the new comers.) 
John. Paul has been telling me such a wonderful story 

about his father. Do tell them Paul^ where you 

came from and all about it. 
Paul. I am a Frenchman. 
Sarah, Americans love the French. They helped us 

win our Independence. 
Mary. How did you happen to come to Alabama, Paul? 
Paul, My father was an officer under General Napo- 
leon Bonaparte. When he lost his power in Europe 

we exiled ourselves. Three hundred of us, men, 

women and children, came across the Atlantic 

ocean in a big ship and landed in Philadelphia 



12 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

where we had friends. They arranged with the 
Government to get lands for us in Alabama. 

Mary. How can a French officer become an Alabama 
farmer? 

Paul, If you doubt it you should see some of them 
planting olive trees and grape vines in Demopolis. 
There is Count Lefebvre Desnoettes, who was a 
Lieutenant-General of the Cavalry in Napoleon's 
army, the officer with whom he rode in the car- 
riage in his retreat from Russia.? 

Mary. How distinguished! 

Paul. And there is Nicholas Rooul, a Colonel under 
Napoleon, who is now ferrying travelers across 
French Creek. 

Sarah. That is too bad. 

Paul. (Shrug giny his shoulders.) Even in Alabama 
one must work if one may eat. 

John. There are many French people in Mobile, Paul. 
You should make friends with them. 

Paul. Those Mobile colonists came to this country 
more than a hundred years ago, and know little 
about France today. But of course we will be very 
happy to make friends with them. 

John. San Miguel, how did you happen to be in Ala- 
bama, since you are a Spaniard? 

San Miguel. My parents are dead and my Uncle who 
lives in Fensacola, Florida, brought me to America 
from Spain two years ago. He owns a cigar fac- 
tory in Pensacola and we are traveling through 
Alabama to find the farmers who grow tobacco. 

John. I hope you like our State? 

San Miguel. Yes. But when my uncle and I tell peo- 
ple we are Spaniards they turn a cold shoulder to 
us. 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 13 

John, If you will excuse me, San Miguel, I will tell 
you why that is so. During the War of 1812 and 
the Creek War that followed it, the Spaniards 
were always lined up against the Americans and 
were our enemies. 

San Miguel. My uncle told me that, but I did not do 
it and am sorry it happened as I like Americans. 
They do not have kings to obey and one can be so 
free and happy in this country. 
Re-enter Mammy. 

Mammy. {Closing the door carefully and speaking in 
a stage whisper.) I's foun' er lil'le Injun girl. 
Does you chilluns want 'er to come play wid you- 
all? 

All the children. Yes. Bring her in. 

Mammy. {Opening the door^ calling.) Cherokee! 
Enter Cherokee. 

Mary. {Going to meet her.) Come in. Is your name 
Cherokee? 

Cherokee. Yes. 

Mary, Children, this is Cherokee. {They all shake her 
hand and introduce themselves.) 

Sarah. Do you live in Huntsville, Cherokee? 

Cherokee. My parents live on the Tennessee river ten 
miles from here. My father has come to Huntsville 
to see General Jackson. He fought with him dur- 
ing the Creek Indian War. 

John. That is true. The Cherokees, Chickasaws, and 
Choctaws all helped the Americans against the 
Muscogee or Creek Indians. 

Francis. So you are a good little Alabamian, too. 

Cherokee. I am. not an Alabamian. I told you I was 
a Cherokee. 

John. She means that the tribe of Alabamians for 



14 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

whom the river was named and which gave the 
States its awn name, are different Indians from 
the Cherokee tribe and live in a diflferent part of 
the State. 

Mary. But Cherokee is one of us any way. She has 
the name of the lovely rose and so we will call her 
"Cherokee Rose." 

Cherokee. I like that. 

{There is a noise outside upon the street.) 

John. (Looking out the window.) The crowds are 
coming back from the Assembly Hall. There is 
General Jackson. 

{Several children rush to the window and look out.) 

Francis. I am going, down and invite General Jack- 
son's little Indian boy, Lincoyer, to come play with 
us, if you don't mind, Mary. 

Mary. We will be glad to have him come. (Exit 
Francis.) 

Cherokee, Lincoyer is a Creek boy. His people were 
all killed at the battle of Tallaseehatchie. He was 
just a little baby in his dead mother's arms. When 
General Jackson heard about him he sent him all 
the way back to Huntsville. Here he was kept for 
two years, but General Jackson wanted him for 
himself, so he sent for him and now he lives with 
the General and his good wife at The Hermitage, 
near Nashville, Tennessee. 

Sarah. General Jackson is a good and great man. 
Re-enter Francis with Lincoyer, 

Francis. Boys and girls, this is Lincoyer. He has come 
to Huntsville with General Jackson to visit the 
kind people who kept him when he was an infant. 
He was very glad to come up and meet you all. 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 15 

Mary. We are glad to have you come, Lincoyer. Come 

all of you and shake hands and give your names. 
i^All the children introduce themselves and shake hands.) 
Lncoyer, Now I am glad I came to Huntsville. 
Mary. Were you lonely, too? 
Lincoyer. I have seen my friends, but I miss all the 

nice things at The Hermitage. 
'John. Father says General Jackson has brought some 

of his best horses to Huntsville to entertain the 

legislature vi'ith races. 
Lincoyer. Yes, he has. The horses are now at Green 

Bottom Inn meadows. 
Francis. Gee, I'd like to see the races. Can't we all 

go out to the Green Bottom Inn race course this 

afternoon? 
Lincoyer. I will ask General Jackson to see that you 

do. He loves children and will do anything for 

their pleasure. 
All the children. (Squeal and jump about with eager 

delight.) 
Lncoyer. May I bring Kentucy Sam up here? 
All the children. Yes. 
Mary. Bring EVERY BODY. (Lincoyer makes his 

exit.) 
Mary. The crowd is certainly growing. We will be 

holding a legislature ourselves first thing you know. 
Sarah. Lets count up the diflFerent states we all came 

from. There is G€orgi,a, Florida, Virginia, North 

and South Carolina, Tennessee, and when Sam 

comes, Kentucky. 
John. That is the way it is all over Alabama. People 

are pouring in from all the states represented here. 
Re-enter Lincoyer followed by Sam,. 
Lincoyer. This is Sam. His father is moving to Ala- 



16 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

bama from Kentucky. We are going to a place 
called Montgomery. It is named for Major Lemuel 
Montgomery who was killed at the battle of the 
Horse Shoe Bend. 

Re-enter Mammy. 

Mammy. My goodness ! Now aint dis splenducious ! 
Ef you-all chilluns hadn't come to play wif my 
lil'le Miss, I'd er had ter be tellin' 'er tales dis 
ver' minit. I specks mos' ev'y chile herh kin tell 
some sort er tale 'bout sumpun-er-nuther whuts 
happen'd ter dey knowenst. 

All the girls. Stories! Let's have stories. 

John. That is a fine plan. San Miguel, we'll begin 
with you. 

Mary. Let's all sit down in a row before the fire. 

Mammy. An' Mammy'll pop some corn for you-all. 
{She brings corn and a popper from the closet and 
pretends to pop it over the fire. The children sit 
with their backs to the fire^ facing the audience, 
and Mammy hands them a tray of white pop-corn.) 

John. Let's put the dog in the closet and make like he 
is a bear in a cave. 

Bonnie. That will make us feel so scared and funny. 

Mary. Make like we are all campers, and are telling 
tales around the fire. 

Sarah. "General LaFayette" can be a bear hidden in 
a cave and after awhile he will come out and run 
after us all. (Puts the dog in the closet.) 

Mammy. I trus' ter Gord he gwyne ter ketch dat rat 
whut romped over my face las' night. 

All the children. (Laughing.) 

John. Now San Miguel, you are to begin. 

San Miguel. That is a good plan, as it was the Span- 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE, 17 

iards who were the first white men to put foot upon 
what is now Alabama soil. 
Sam. Were there Indians here then, Cherokee? 
Cherokee. Yes. Indians have been here so long no 

one knows when they came or how they got here. 
San Miguel. But the Spaniards didn't stay in Alabama 
or Florida as it was all called then, in 1540. They 
had some terrible fights with the Indians and after 
many hardships and gerat losses they moved on 
west. Few of them lived to return to their own 
country. 
Paul. And a hundred and fifty years later a colony 
of French people under the leadership of the brave 
LeMoyne brothers of Canada settled at Mobile. I 
could tell you some thrilling stories about them, 
but expect the other children would be more inter- 
ested in things that have happened nearer our own 
times. 
Joh7i. A hundred years after Mobile was settled by 
the French, here are we, boys and girls, going with 
their parents into the wilderness to make new 
homes all over the State. 
Sam. I wonder if any of you have ever heard about 
Captain Sam Dale. I am named for him. My fa- 
ther used to know him down on the Tom Bigbee 
River. 
John. Every one knows about Captain Dale. 
Sam. If he were here he could tell you some wonder- 
ful tales about his adventures with the Indians as 
well as with rought men who went into the Indian 
Nation to get away from the hand of the Law. 
John. Captain Sam Dale was the hero of the famous 

Canoe Fight with the Indians. 
Cherokee. I have heard my father talk rbout that 



18 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

fight. He is very proud of his race and says they 
are as brave as any men^ even if most of them have 
been killed or driven away by the white people. 

John, Indeed they were brave. The way the Indians 
have fought to keep possession of their lands makes 
every one respect them. No braver people ever 
lived. 

Mary. Let's not talk about the fights the white people 
had with the Indains. Cherokee and Lincoyer 
might not like it. 

Cherokee. We do not mind it as we have nothing to be 
ashamed of. 

Lncoyer. General Jackson says I must be proud of 
being an Indian. He has fought them and he 
knows. 

John. General Jackson has had Chief Bill Weather- 
ford at his home for a long visit, hasn't he? 

Lincoyer. Yes. He staid there a year. I can recite 
the speech he made when he surrendered to Gen- 
eral Jackson, at the end of the Creek War. 

All the children. Speech. Give us the speech! 

Lincoyer. (Rising and standing proudly^ his arms fold- 
ed across his breast.) "General Jackson, I am not 
afraid of you. I fear no man, for I am a Creek 
warrior. I have nothing to request in behalf of 
myself; you can kill me if you desire. But I come 
to beg you to send for the women and children 
of the war party, who are now starving in the 
woods. Their fields and cribs have been destroyed 
by your people, who have driven them to the woods 
without an ear of corn. I hope that you will send 
out parties who will safely conduct them here, in 
order that they may be fed. I exerted myself in 
vain to prevent the massacre of the women and 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 19 

children at Ft. Mims. I am now done fighting. 
The Red Sticks are nearly all killed. Send for 
the women and children. They never did you any 
harm. But kill me, if the white people want it 
done." 

(All the children get to their feet,) 

Mary. What did General Jackson say to Weatherford, 
Lincoyer? 

Lincoyer. Many of the white soldiers who had tried 
to capture or kill Weatherford cried out, "kill 
him, kill him," but General Jackson said: "Any 
man who would kill as brave a man as this would 
rob the dead." 

All the children. Hurrah for General Jackson. {They 
hurrah three times.) 

Sam. I could tell you a lot of fine stories about Ken- 
tucky, but I know you prefer Alabama stories and 
I don't know any. 

Sarah. I know a fine dog story. 

Francis and Bonnie. Tell it. Lets have it. 

Mammy. Why don"t you chillun set down? 

(They all sit down again, except Sarah.) 

Sarah. We need not think that it is only friendly In- 
dians and faithful negro slaves who have helped 
the white people to settle Alabama. There was a 
large party of home-seekers going from North Car- 
olina to the Bigbee country in this State. They 
had a long, hard trip in their wagons over the 
Bhie Ridge Mountains to the Tennessee river at 
Knoxville where they got in flat boats and went 
as far as Muscle Shoals. There they landed to go 
on their way, some on horseback but most of them 
on foot. There were sixty slaves in the party be- 
side the white families. When thev all reached a 



20 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

place on the Tombigbee river where the Government 
had built a cotton gin for the Chickasaw Indians, 
they made two boats and the women and children 
and some of the men got into these. The others 
walked down the bank with the horses. The par- 
ties did not go far before the boats went to pieces, 
as they were built so poorly, and every one was 
thrown into the water. 

Mory, And drowned? 

Sarah. No. A white child and a number of the ne- 
groes were drowned. The others got out alive, but 
everything they had carried from their North Car- 
olina homes was lost, clothes, guns, ammunition, 
food. 

Sam. I could wear my same clothes for a long time, 
but when the sun crossed the noon mark on the 
floor I'd want my dinner. 

Sarah, And that is what I'm coming to. It was the 
faithful dogs, man's best friend, that caught rab- 
bits, possums and raccoon and saved them all from 
starving. (She sits down.) 

John. Hurrah for man's best friend. {All the chil- 
dren cheer and the dog barks in the closet.) 

San Miguel. If I may speak twice I can tell you a 
dog story too. 

All. Speech! San Miguel! 

San Miguel. (Rising.) My story is about "Old Rory." 
That was the name the people gave Roderick Mc- 
intosh, the famous Scotch Highlander who used to 
be a good deal in Alabama a long time ago, al- 
though he was a British officer with headquart- 
ers in Pensacola. That is how I heard the story. 

John. "Old Rory and his dog." Go on, San Miguel. 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 21 

San Miguel. "Old Rory" owned this dog, Lueth. He 
made a bet that he could hide a doubloon — 

Francis. What's a doubloon? 

San Miguel. Spanish money. Well, "Old Rory" bet he 
could hide a doubloon three miles from home and 
his dog, Lueth, would go fetch it to him. He hid 
the money on a heavy wager and sent the dog on 
the trail. But Lueth came back without the coin. 

Sarah. And "Old Rory" lost his bet. That was too 
bad! 

San Miguel. That is not the end of the story. "Old 
Rory" went himself to the hiding place and the 
money was not there although the earth had been 
scratched up in every direction showing that the 
dog had made a faithful hunt. "Old Rory" was 
now sure that some one had stolen the money be- 
fore his dog reached the hiding place, Ix)oking 
about he saw a man^ not far away, in a field. Tak- 
ing his knife in his hand he went over to the man 
and said in a terrible voice: "Sir, you are the 
man who took my doubloon from beneath the log 
where I hid it." The farmer was so frightened 
that he confessed his guilt and handed "Old Rory" 
the money. But he threw it back at him and said: 
"Take it, vile caitiff; it was not the pelf, but the 
honor of my dog I cared for." 

All the children. Hurrah for Lueth and "Old Rory." 
(The dog again barks .in the closet.) 

John. (Rising.) That was a fine tale, San Miguel. (To 
the children.) Let"s make San Miguel an Alabama 
boy whether he is one or not. 

All. Yes. We will. 

San Miguel. When I am old enough to look out for 
myself I am coming to Alabama to live. 



22 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION. 

Francis. (Rising.) That kind of talk sounds good to 
me, San Miguel. It seems strange to think so, but 
in a few years we boys will be grown men, making 
laws for Alabama, or fighting battles against her 
enemies, just as our fathers and grandfathers have 
done in the older states and countries. So lets 
make a pledge that we will always remember this 
day, when we first met each other as strangers, and 
agree to help make a great State out of the one we 
now live in. 

All the boys. (They rise and join hands in pledge.) 

Mary. (Rising.) Mother says it takes women as well 
as men to make homes and to build up the State. 
So if you boys are making pledges to stand toge- 
ther for the future good of Alabama I don't see 
why we girls are left out of it. 

8arah^ Bonnie and Cherokee. Indeed we won't be left 
out. 

John. We do not want to leave you out, either. Come 
on girls. We will ALL shake hands on it. (They 
al join hands and circle around mamng from one 
to the other ^ i^^g^t, then left hand^ singing the first 
verse of Alabama. 

Enter Mr. and Mrs. Monroe. 

Mary. (Running to her parents.) Oh, Mama! Dear 
Papa! We are having such a good time. 

Mr. Monroe. You seem to be. Where did you get so 
many new friends? 

Mary. Mammy found them for me. Come up chil- 
dren and introduce yourselves to my mother and 
father, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe. 

All. (Shaking hands and calling their names^ talking 
and laughing together.) 

Mary. When you came in we were making a promise 



HOW ALABAMA BECAME A STATE. 23 

to each other to always be friends and to help make 
Alabama a good State. 
Mr, Monroe. That is a fine thing to do. We have just 
come from the Assembly Hall where Governor Bibb 
has taken the oath of office. We all promised our- 
selves and each other to put the best we have and 
are into the very thing you children have it in your 
hearts to do, the making of a State. 
(There is a noise in the closet as if something is falling.) 
Mary. That's the bear! 
Mrs. Monroe. The Bear? 
Mammy. I trus' dat Marse Gineral LaFayette has 

cotch dat rat. 
(The dog begins to bark.) 

Sarah. (Opening the closet.) Come out General. 
You'r just in time to see Mary's parents. (She in- 
troduces the dog and the Monroes shake his paw.) 
Newscrier. (Calling without.) "Madison Gazette. Car- 
rying the Resolution of Congress admitting the 
State to the Union." 
Mr. Monroe. That is a lad crying the Madison Ga- 
zette carrying a copy of the Resolution of Congress 
admitting Alabama to the Union. I have it here. 
Would you patriotic young people like to hear it 
read? 
All. Yes. Read it to us. 
Mr. Monroe. (Reads.) 

Resolution Declaring the Admission of the State of Ala. 
bama into the Union. Approved Dec. 14, 1819. 
Whereas, in pursuance of an act of Congress, passed 
on the second day of March, one thousand eight hun- 
dred and nineteen, entitled, "An act to enable the peo- 
ple of the Alabama Territory to form a constitution 
and State goveftiment, and for the admission of such 



24 ALABAMA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION, 

State into the Union, on an equal footing with the 
original States," the people of the said Territory did, on 
the second day of August, in the present year, by a 
convention called for that purpose, form for themselves 
a constitution and State government, which constitution 
and State government, so formed, is republican, and in 
conformity to the principles of the articles of compact 
between the original States and the people and States 
in the territory northwest of the river Ohio, passed on 
the thirteenth day of July, one thousand seven hundred 
and eighty seven, so far as the same have been extended 
to the said territory by the articles of agreement be- 
tween the United States and the State of Georgia. 

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representa- 
tives of the United States of America^ iti Congress as- 
sembled^ That the State of Alabama shall be one, and 
is hereby declared to be one, of the United States of 
America, and admitted into the Union on an equal foot- 
ing with the original States, in all respects whatever. — 
U. 8. Statutes at Large, vol, iii, p. 608 

(The audience joins the actors in singing the remain- 
ing verses of "Alabama.") 

CURTAIN. 



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